Battle of the Preachers: Evangelist Trymore Muparinga Files Police Report Over "Altar Money" Claims
Reported by: Sona Headlines Editorial | Original Report: Arron Nyamayaro | Focus: Legal Action & Cyberbullying
A bitter public dispute between two prominent Zimbabwean religious figures has escalated from social media timelines to the police station. Renowned evangelist Trymore Muparinga has officially filed a police report against his former colleague, Apostle Dickson Nhumwa, accusing him of malicious cyberbullying and defamation.
The legal action follows a viral video posted by Apostle Nhumwa, wherein he made severe allegations regarding Muparinga's personal conduct, claiming the evangelist misused church offerings for alcohol and illicit affairs. Muparinga has vehemently denied the claims, suggesting the attack is financially motivated.
The Viral Accusations: Altar Money
The controversy stems from a video broadcasted by Apostle Nhumwa, where he publicly called out Evangelist Muparinga's alleged off-pulpit behavior, appealing to the broader Christian community to stage an intervention.
Accusations of Misuse
Nhumwa alleged that Muparinga was diverting funds intended for the church. In the video, he claimed: “Mukomana (Muparinga), akunyanya kuti pese paaenda kunoparidza apihwa mari dzepa Altar odzishandisa kudhakwa ne kukecha.” (He is taking altar money given after preaching to buy alcohol and seduce women).
Prior Public Scrutiny
Nhumwa's claims played on a pre-existing vulnerability. Evangelist Muparinga, widely celebrated for his articulate biblical teachings, had previously faced intense public scrutiny when a photograph of him holding a brown bottle of alcohol circulated online.
Muparinga's Defense & The Chivayo Factor
Refusing to let the accusations slide, Evangelist Muparinga immediately engaged legal counsel and formally reported Nhumwa to the police for cyberbullying, citing a sustained pattern of public abuse.
The Sir Wicknell Connection
Muparinga strongly denied the allegations of substance abuse and financial impropriety. Instead, he claimed the attacks are driven by jealousy over funds he recently received from prominent businessman Sir Wicknell Chivayo. Muparinga stated that Nhumwa felt entitled to a cut of that financial gift.
The Official Statement
Muparinga's Rebuttal: “I have never misused money for personal pleasures or to buy alcohol, as claimed... He is simply a bitter man and this time I have decided to take the matter to the police.”
A Strained Brotherhood
The dispute is deeply personal, rooted in a shared history of grassroots ministry that has since fractured under the weight of public exposure and financial disagreements.
The Early Days
In his video, Apostle Nhumwa reminisced about their early days ministering together. The duo began preaching side-by-side in 2007 along Harare's First Street before Nhumwa eventually relocated to Masvingo.
A Broken Trust
Muparinga acknowledged this shared past but painted a picture of a colleague who could not accept his independence: “We once worked together in ministry and he seemed to believe he was entitled to my earnings,” Muparinga noted.
The Sona Headlines Verdict
Testing Cyber Legislation
This case highlights the growing willingness of public figures to test Zimbabwe's cyberbullying and data protection laws. What used to be dismissed as a mere "social media spat" is now grounds for formal police investigation, setting a potential precedent for how defamation is handled among religious leaders.
The Reputational Cost
For the church, internal disputes spilling into the public domain carry a heavy reputational cost. Regardless of the legal outcome, the allegations of "altar money" misuse and the underlying friction over corporate donations (such as those from Wicknell Chivayo) threaten to erode public trust in both ministries.
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